Fall Prevention: Some Quick Tips
Falling is a significant cause of injury and death in older individuals. This article elaborates on risk factors for falls and steps that should be taken to reduce those risks. Between thirty to forty percent of people over 65 and more than fifty percent over the age of 80 fall each year. [i] Many factors contribute…
October Health Pearls: Long-term Marijuana Use and Adverse Effects; Fried Food and Gestational Diabetes;Exercise and ADHD; Healthy Diet and Ovarian Cancer Prognosis…
*1. Long-term Marijuana Use can Lead to Cancers and Schizophrenia** …
Ebola Overload – Don’t Fear the Gym
When I was at the gym this week, I started wondering about how I would adjust my routine if we start to see more cases of Ebola. Having heard about the first reported case of the flu in Maryland this season, I realized that the gym could become a frightening place – and you know…
All Screening Tests Are Not Created Equal
Should you have your carotid arteries screened for plaque just because the test is available? The carotid arteries are the large vessels in the neck that carry blood directly from the heart to the brain. Atherosclerosis, or plaque buildup, causes the narrowing of arteries (stenosis) and leads to reduced blood flow. Think of a pipe…
Electronic cigarette Update – More Potential for Addiction and Poisonings
Since December, 2013, when I wrote an overview of electronic cigarettes, they have evidently gained in popularity in the 18-34 age group. This has become a public health issue for many reasons. 1) 88% of people in this age group who have used cocaine, had previously smoked cigarettes. There is evidence now that the use of…
Reducing Heart Attacks: Evidence that Nutrition and Lifestyle are Key
We often hear that eating a healthy diet and participating in healthy lifestyle activities lower the risk of heart disease. A recent study again proved this, but what was surprising was the extent to which these changes affect the incidence: an 80% reduction! So what exactly are these “heart healthy” lifestyle choices? Cardiologists in Sweden recently studied…
Postpartum Mental Health: Raising Awareness
It’s supposed to be this amazing time in your life – you’re a MOM!. A new baby! Maybe it was one that was planned, maybe not. Maybe it’s something you’ve worked very hard for – fertility treatment, acupuncture, herbs, charting, temperature taking, sex on demand and the list goes on. Or maybe this pregnancy was…
Egg-free Flu Vaccine, Iron and Autism, and Concern About Suicide
Flublok — The Egg-Free Flu Vaccine for 2014/2015 Flu season An egg-free flu vaccine Flublok is now available for the 2014/2015 flu season to immunize against subtypes A and B Influenza virus, just like the traditional flu vaccine. Flublok can be used in adults 18-49 years old who are allergic to eggs. According to Dr….
Are We What We Eat?
Every morning I enjoy a cup of dark roast coffee with cream and Sweet N’ Low (saccharin). A recent article in the journal Nature, “Artificial Sweeteners Induce Glucose Intolerance by Altering Gut Microbiota” may cause me to change this habit. Saccharin was discovered by a Hopkins chemist Constantin Fahlberg. Its safety was long questioned due…
Lady Docs In the News – Dr. Rebecca Katz and Dr. Bhavana Mistry
In the past week, Dr Rebecca Katz was interviewed on NPR about the Ebola outbreak and Dr. Bhavana Mistry on WTOP about cavities due to sugar intake, especially from fruit juices and power drinks. Here are a few excerpts from the articles on Marketplace and wtop.com, respectively: Dr Rebecca Katz with David Gura on Marketplace…